Objective. The aim of this study was to evaluate sensibility threshold for interocclusal thickness in experienced and nonexperienced denture wearers after the insertion of new complete dentures.Materials and Methods. A total of 88 patients with complete dentures have participated in this study. The research was divided into two experimental groups, compared with the previous experience prosthetic dental treatment. The sensibility threshold for interocclusal thickness was measured with metal foil with 8 μm thickness and width of 8 mm, placed between the upper and lower incisor region. Statistical analysis was performed using standard software package BMDP (biomedical statistical package).Results. Results suggest that time of measurement affects the average values of the sensibility threshold for interocclusal thickness (F= 242.68,p= 0.0000). Gender appeared to be a significant factor when it interacted with time measurement resulting in differences in sensibility threshold for interocclusal thickness (gender:F= 9.84,p= 0.018;F= 4.83,p= 0.0003).Conclusion. The sensibility threshold for interocclusal thickness was the most important functional adaptation in patient with complete dentures. A unique trait of this indicator is the progressive reduction of initial values and a tendency to reestablish the stationary state in the fifteenth week after dentures is taken off.

BACKGROUND: There are a lot of factors influencing the efficiency of mastication; therefore there are also a lot of methods for testing this efficiency.OBJECTIVE: The study aimed to test the efficiency of mastication and evaluate it in the function of time, based on previous experience with the complete dentures.METHODS: A total of 88 patients (42 female, 46 male, mean age 52.2, SD = 5.76), complete dentures wearers, participated in this study. Masticatory functions were investigated by using the method of electromyography (EMG), analyzing electromyomasticatiogram. For testing the masticator efficiency, the further parameters of the masticatiogram were used: duration of the Standard Masticatory Task (SMT) (t), number of the masticatory cycles within the masticator arch (F) and maximal amplitude within the masticatory arch (F). All data were statistically analysed by using standard software package BMDP (bio-medical Statistical package). Parametric data have been tested using One Way Repeated Measurement of ANOVA test.RESULTS: The changes of the relation A/t are evident in different time intervals in both measured sides: F-DS-time of the measurement = 34.86, P = 0.0000; F-NDS- time of the measurement = 26.1, P = 0.0000. There are also differences of the masticatory index A/t between sexes in both, dominant and non-dominant side: F-DS-gender = 237.05, P = 0.0000; F-NDS-gender = 12.90, P = 0.004. Masticatory index (A/F) varies in time, from first to the sixth measurement in both sides: F-DS-time of the measurement = 32.36, P = 0.0000; F-NDS-time of the measurement = 30.53, P = 0.0000. The interaction of the time and gender was also important: F-DS-interaction = 6.95, P = 0.0000; F-NDS-interaction = 14.9, P = 0.0000.CONCLUSION: Masticator indexes are A/F, and A/t are a very important indicator of the masticatory efficiency and the level of the functional adaptation on complete dentures. Both masticator indexes show the same dynamics (reaching the stationary condition after the 15th week after getting new dentures). After the observing period, all examinee express the same degree of masticator efficiency known as functional adaptation. Patients with previous experience with complete dentures reach faster the stationary condition, compared with those non-experienced.

Background/Objectives: The rising popularity of e-cigarette use is creating new challenges for oral healthcare. Factors such as targeted marketing, appealing flavors, and the perception that e-cigarettes are a safer alternative to traditional smoking have contributed to their widespread adoption. This trend is particularly prevalent among young adults and teenagers, many of whom turn to e-cigarettes despite having no prior history of regular cigarette use. This study aimed to evaluate dentists’ knowledge and perceptions regarding e-cigarettes, focusing on their health effects, regulatory status, and potential risks to oral health. Assessing dentists’ knowledge of e-cigarette risks is important, as they guide patients on the potential oral health dangers of vaping. E-cigarette use has been linked to several oral health problems. Methods: A cross-sectional survey was conducted among 189 dentists in Kosovo, comprising both general dentists and specialists. The questionnaire assessed participants’ awareness of e-cigarettes’ FDA approval status, their perceptions of health impacts, and their understanding of e-cigarettes’ association with oral conditions such as caries, periodontal disease, and oral cancer. Data were analyzed using SPSS 22, with significance set at p < 0.05. Results: The findings revealed significant knowledge gaps, with 74.1% of respondents being uncertain about the FDA approval status of e-cigarettes and 82.0% recognizing their harmful effects on general and oral health. Nearly half (49.7%) of the participants identified e-cigarettes as a potential risk factor for caries, while 66.1% and 64.6% associated their use with oral cancer and periodontal disease, respectively. Gender and professional specialization did not significantly influence these perceptions. Conclusions: Dentists need better education on the risks of e-cigarette use, including their harmful effects on oral health. Incorporating this knowledge into dental curricula and professional training is essential to give dentists the information needed to advise patients effectively. Raising public awareness through dental health professionals can help mitigate the oral health risks associated with e-cigarettes.

Objective. The objective of this study was to evaluate the level of adaptation of patients to newly fitted complete dentures in their dominant and nondominant sides, by means of ElectromyoFigureic signals. Materials and Methods. Eighty-eight patients with complete dentures were evaluated in the study. Masticatory muscle (masseter and temporal) bioelectric activity of the patients with complete dentures was recorded at maximum intercuspal relation. Parametric statistical data were analyzed with one-way repeated measures ANOVA test. Results. Measurement time was significantly different for both dominant (DS) and nondominant (NDS) sides: FΣs-DS = 21.51, p=0.0001; FΣs-NDS = 13.25, p=0.0001. Gender was also significantly different: FΣs-DS-gender = 41.53, p=0.001; FΣs-NDS-gender = 85.76, p=0.0001. The average surface area values showed significant difference in females. Prior experience with dentures showed no significant difference for both sides of mastication: FΣs-DS-experiences = 1.83, p=0.1772; F Σs-NDS-experiences = 3.30, p=0.0697. Conclusion. The planimetric indicators of bioelectric activity of masseter and temporalis muscles at maximum physiological loading conditions are significant discriminators of the level of functional adaptation of patients with new complete dentures.

Background and Objectives: The growing prevalence of e-cigarette use presents new challenges for oral health care. This study aimed to evaluate dentists’ knowledge and perceptions regarding e-cigarettes, focusing on their health effects, regulatory status, and potential risks to oral health. Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional survey was conducted among 189 dentists in Kosovo, comprising both general dentists and specialists. The questionnaire assessed participants’ awareness of e-cigarettes’ FDA approval status, their perceptions of health impacts, and their understanding of e-cigarettes’ association with oral conditions such as caries, periodontal disease, and oral cancer. Data were analyzed using SPSS 22, with significance set at P < 0.05. Results: The findings revealed significant knowledge gaps, with 74.1% of respondents uncertain about the FDA approval status of e-cigarettes and 82.0% recognizing their harmful effects on general and oral health. Nearly half (49.7%) of the participants identified e-cigarettes as a potential risk factor for caries, while 66.1% and 64.6% associated their use with oral cancer and periodontal disease, respectively. Gender and professional specialization did not significantly influence these perceptions. Conclusions: Dentists need better education on the risks of e-cigarette use, including their harmful effects on oral health. Incorporating this knowledge into dental curricula and professional training is essential to give dentists the information needed to advise patients effectively. Raising public awareness through dental health professionals can help mitigate the oral health risks associated with e-cigarettes.